Extended Release Xanax

Does anyone have experience using the extended release version of xanax? My doc is changing me from my normal dose over to the extended release so that it wont leave my system so quick. I dont want to up my normal dosage so we're gonna try the extended release form so that it'll last longer.

Any experience or thoughts ? Does it work? Do you remain calm for the full 24 hour period?? What's the best time of day to take it? a.m or p.m. ?

I take Xanax XR three times per day.........as studies have shown it seems to remain effective for around 6-8 hours at a time although it is supposed to last 24 hours...........it is smoother for me..........when I was on regualar Xanax I felt dropped or low when it began to wear off..........the Xanax XR doesn't give me that dropped or worn off feeling............

I think dosage and when we take meds depends on our individual response to the medication...........I had to experiment a bit before figuring out that Xanax XR three times per day was what works for me...........I am on 2mg per day.......1mg in the am......... .5 in the afternoon and .5 at bedtime..........but my psyh is considering changing that to 1mg at bedtime and the 2 .5 doses during the day.........I feel a bit tired in the morning............and when I take the 1mg it seems to add to that a bit.........

Eventually I am going to reduce down to 1mg per day, as 2mg seems a bit much for me now.........but I have to do it gradually as to not have the withdrawal.........

I like the XR.........like I said before it seems smoother and easier on my body..........

Thank you kindly for sharing that info ! I dont like to switch meds unless I have an idea of what to expect. I still have a LOT of the fast-acting xanax, so I guess i'll just keep it handy for now in case this doesn't work.

I'm suppose to be on 2mg per day too. I only take 1mg for now. I take the 1mg all at once in the afternoon. I probably should be dividing it up. But hopefully the time released will work good.

Hi,
I was recently switched from regular xanax to xanax xr. I dont like it. I am supposed to take it in the morning and the psych said its supposed to last all day. By afternoon my anxiety is back and there is nothing I can do about it. Ive tried relaxing techniques and all that other stuff. My stress level and anxiety is through the roof right now due to a new revelation I have learned. I called the doc to ask to be switched back and he said that the xanax xr is the same thing and insinutated that i want the "high" feeling of the regular xanax. No. What I want is when i get an anxiety attack to have something help within the normal 10-20 min that xanax did. I will be seeing a new doctor since only after one visit this one seems to think he knows all about me and refuses to listen to my concerns. My oppinion is it doesnt work as well. I see that you all take it more than once a day. My doc told me to only take it once in the morning and it will last for 24 hours otherwise im abusing it. His words not mine. I hope it works for you, as for me....it helps for just in the morning...then im anxious for most of the rest of the day. Good luck.

Hi Tigre
I'm so sorry you have such a terrible doctor. What's your dosage? Only taking it once per day is NOT effective - and any of us with an anxiety problem can tell your doctor that. I'm suppose to be taking 1mg in the a.m. and 1mg in the p.m. But I'm paranoid about the 'addiction' thing so I only take the pm dosage and I usually just sit around a nervous wreck during the morning hours. My doc has the totally opposite attitude of your doc. He tells me that I NEED to take it when I need it. That's what the med is for !!! He says he's not worried about addiction because that's not an issue when you're using the med for the reason it's prescribed. If I ever decide to get off, we'll wean me, and everything will be fine.

My doc prescribed 1mg xanax xr. I was also on 1mg of the regular xanax. I took the regular xanax twice a day most times, on real bad days 3 times. The doc said that was wayyyyyyy to much to be taking and put me on the 1mg xr once a day. And when my husband went to get them filled the pharmacist warned him that xanax xr can be addicting because some people take two pills at a time and are "high" all day. What is it with this "high" thing? Its sad that doctors are more worried about that then the panic and anxiety that we suffer from. I was diagnosed with PTSD/severe depression/panic and anxiety disorder. Yet after this ONE visit, this doc took it upon himself to just lower my anxiety meds and up my depression meds. Im now on 20mg lexapro and from what i have read from others it has increased their anxiety and tremors and also has sleep disorders. At least he was kind enough to see the dark circles under my eyes and prescribe ambien before i even told him my sleep pattern. Im sorry that i sound so angry but im about sick of doctors and all this mess. I feel so stressed most of the time that i just want to hit something. Yet i try to call the psych and after about 5 calls of talking to the receptionist , the doc finally gets on the phone and made me feel like a flippen drug addict!!! Im ready to just give up. Thanks for replying. Take care.

Tigre, I'm sorry that the XR isn't working for you.
When I was still taking Xanax I asked my Doctor about the XR version and he told me not to bother because of the exact problem you're having.
He said that it's "supposedly" being marketed as a once a day pill when in all likelihood it won't last all day.
He told me to just stay on the original version of Xanax and split my dose up and spread it out over the course of the day, so that's what I did and I had no problems at all.
He told me that the XR version taken once a day might work for some people, but he said in his opinion he'd rather see people just stay with the original version and split their dose up throughout the day.
He said that with the people he's dealt with that seems to be the way to go and then he told me that splitting the original version of Xanax up throughout the day would have the same if not a better effect than using the XR version.
Then he added something that most Doctors won't tell you and that was that there is no generic version of XR, so therefore the drug companies are making more money and he said he had a feeling that's why some Doctors were pushing it.
I'm not sure what a 30 day supply of XR costs, but when I was still taking regular Xanax a 30 day supply of the generic form of that was less the $5.00

But as I've always said what works for one doesn't work for all.
There are people on this board that take XR with no problems and for others the original version works better.

Tigre, I'm sorry that the XR isn't working for you.
When I was still taking Xanax I asked my Doctor about the XR version and he told me not to bother because of the exact problem you're having.
He said that it's "supposedly" being marketed as a once a day pill when in all likelihood it won't last all day.
He told me to just stay on the original version of Xanax and split my dose up and spread it out over the course of the day, so that's what I did and I had no problems at all.
He told me that the XR version taken once a day might work for some people, but he said in his opinion he'd rather see people just stay with the original version and split their dose up throughout the day.
He said that with the people he's dealt with that seems to be the way to go and then he told me that splitting the original version of Xanax up throughout the day would have the same if not a better effect than using the XR version.
Then he added something that most Doctors won't tell you and that was that there is no generic version of XR, so therefore the drug companies are making more money and he said he had a feeling that's why some Doctors were pushing it.
I'm not sure what a 30 day supply of XR costs, but when I was still taking regular Xanax a 30 day supply of the generic form of that was less the $5.00

But as I've always said what works for one doesn't work for all.
There are people on this board that take XR with no problems and for others the original version works better.

Hi Gracie,

You are right, Xanax XR does not come in a generic form nor does it last all day...........I take mine three times per day..........but I do notice that it doesn't give me that dropped feeling when it begins to wear off.........the regular Xanax did that to me..........

My concern now is how to go off the Xanax XR.......it does not come in a .25 dose and cannot be cut in half due to the XR...........so the pharmacist told me to spread the dose out farther and farther in the afternoon until I am down to the am and bedtime doses.........then to do the same with the am dose and so on.........then when I am down to .5 mg to take it every other day...........then every third etc.............

I have felt pretty groggy lately since I have calmed down and made it through the withdrawal from Celexa/Paxil...........it seems now as if the 2mg per day of Xanax XR is making me groggy/hungover feeling as well as affecting my memory process a bit........just small things.......like remembering a phone number........stuff like that..........but I am usually right on and so I notice that I am a bit slower in my thinking lately...........my theory is that the 2mg is now to much for me and I need to reduce........but the joy of reducing............it's a pain.........when I drop .5 mg down to 1.5 I feel bad.......shaky.......racey thoughts.......so I know this is going to be tough...........any suggestions on the best way to do it would be appreciated.........

I wish I could give you some suggestions on weaning off of the Xanax XR, but I really don't know what to tell you.
I weaned off of the regular Xanax with no problems, but I have a feeling it would be different weaning off of the XR.
What I will tell you is that when I weaned off of the Xanax I did it almost the same way the pharmacist told you to do it with the XR.
But, when I was taking my dose 12 hours apart I then started cutting the pills in half.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
The best advice I'd give you is talk to your Doctor and ask him/her to help you with the weaning process.

XANAX XR helps patients focus on everyday living, instead of when to take the next dose.
The simplicity of once-daily administration

For new patients, initiate at 0.5 mg or 1 mg once daily, preferably in the morning. Depending on response, titrate in increments of no more than 1 mg/ day in 3-to 4-day intervals.
A longer titration interval may be advisable in some patients.
In elderly patients, patients with advanced liver disease, or patients with debilitating disease, the usual starting dose is 0.5 mg once daily, increased gradually if needed and tolerated.
The suggested total daily dose ranges between 3 mg and 6 mg.
Tablets should be taken intact-not chewed, crushed, or broken.

Have been set free from the on and off routine of thinking i was an addict.Yes i am addicted to a drug that lets me live a noral life , just as insulin is to a diabetic, tell your dr to lowre one of his patients insulin , then wean him off and see what he says.Chronic panic disorder is real and it takes different drugs to help in certain people.Can't take SSRI'S so titrating xanax xr from 4 to 6 worked for me, everyone is differnent, but i was told to print the info from pfixer and take it to my dr.he didn't have a problem.that two miligrams raised the level to cover the panic disorder symptoms